As this type of housing apparatus, the following housing apparatus is known. When an object to be housed is, for example, a component of a central unit of a home security system, in order that a service engineer may operate an operation button or dial of the central unit, connect a maintenance apparatus or the like to an input and output connector, or remove and replace the component of the central unit when the service engineer performs initial setting, maintenance, repair and replacement, or the like, a cover is mounted to a main body (case) of the housing apparatus so that an opening portion for access to the inside of the case is normally closed and is opened when needed.
In particular, when the housing apparatus is a wall-mounted housing apparatus to be installed on a wall surface, in many cases, the housing apparatus is installed on a part of the wall surface close to a ceiling, that is, on an upper side of the wall surface. Therefore, in order not to hinder work of the service engineer or a user of an electronic apparatus from below the electronic apparatus (housing apparatus), and not to occupy the right and left areas of the wall surface to which the housing apparatus is installed, in general, a front cover is mounted to an upper edge of a front side opening portion of a rear case, which houses the component of the electronic apparatus and is installed on the wall surface, through intermediation of a hinge mechanism, and the front cover is opened so as to pivot upward when needed.
In the wall-mounted housing apparatus, when the service engineer or the user of the electronic apparatus performs work on the component of the electronic apparatus that is housed in the rear case, it is preferred that the front cover be maintained in a state of being opened upward at 90° (normally, a state of being opened horizontally) so as not to hinder the work. However, unless the opened front cover is supported by the user or the like, the front cover closes due to its weight. Therefore, for this type of wall-mounted housing apparatus, it is essential to provide a mechanism for retaining the front cover in a state of being opened horizontally.
For example, Patent Literatures 1 to 4 disclose housing apparatus of the type including, at an opening portion of a case that houses an object to be housed, a cover openable and closable through intermediation of a hinge mechanism, and a mechanism for retaining the cover in a state of being opened.
The housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is a mailbox that does not house the component of the electronic apparatus but temporarily houses mail, newspaper, or the like. Further, the housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is not the wall-mounted housing apparatus, but is installed on the ground through intermediation of a pole or embedded in a wall of a house. A cover (rear cover) is mounted to an upper edge of an opening portion (port for picking up mail) of a case (main body), which temporarily houses mail or the like, through intermediation of a hinge mechanism so as to be openable and closable. The rear cover includes an elongated hole portion as the hinge mechanism. On the other hand, a stopper bracket is provided to an upper side inside the main body. The rear cover is opened horizontally, and then pushed into a depth side of the main body. Thus, a distal end of the rear cover engages with the stopper bracket provided to the upper side inside the main body. With this structure, the rear cover is retained in a state of being opened in the horizontal direction. The housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is applied to a vending machine, and is not the wall-mounted housing apparatus, but is a relatively large housing apparatus to be installed on the floor surface or the ground. A cover (loading door) is mounted to an upper edge of a front side opening portion of a case (main body) through intermediation of a hinge mechanism so as to be openable and closable. Gas springs are provided between the main body and the loading door. The loading door is retained in a state of being opened in the horizontal direction due to urging force of the gas springs.
The housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 3 is a cargo transporter of a motor van that does not house the component of the electronic apparatus but houses luggage. Further, the housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 3 is not the wall-mounted housing apparatus, but is integrally mounted to a chassis. Further, a cover (door) is mounted to a side edge of an opening portion of a case (cargo transporter) through intermediation of a hinge mechanism. Hinged double doors are mounted to an end portion of a side wall of the cargo transporter through intermediation of the hinge mechanism so as to be openable and closable. A slide holder having an L-shaped elongated hole formed at an end portion thereof is mounted to an inner side of the door. On the other hand, an arm is mounted to the end portion of an inner side of the side wall of the cargo transporter through intermediation of a two-axis hinge mechanism so as to be pivotable about each of two axes of the hinge mechanism. A flanged pin that slides in the elongated hole of the slide holder is provided to a distal end of the arm. The door in a state of being opened sideways at 90° is retained in such a manner that the flanged pin provided to the distal end of the arm engages with an end portion of the L-shaped elongated hole of the slide holder due to a weight of the arm.
The housing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 4 is not the wall-mounted housing apparatus, but is installed on the desk or the floor. A cover (door) is mounted to a side edge of an opening portion of a case (housing of an apparatus) through intermediation of a hinge mechanism. The door is mounted to an end portion of a side wall of the housing of the apparatus through intermediation of the hinge mechanism so as to be openable and closable. An L-shaped engagement member is axially supported at a lower edge of the opening portion of the housing of the apparatus so as to be pivotable. On the other hand, an engagement tool is mounted to a lower edge portion of an inner side of the door. The engagement tool has an elongated hole and a plurality of hole portions formed in parallel along the elongated hole. A distal end of the engagement member is loosely fitted into the elongated hole of the engagement tool in a slidable manner. The door in a state of being opened sideways at 90° is retained by the distal end of the engagement member that engages with one of the plurality of hole portions of the engagement tool.